Which statement about bedaquiline is true?

Which statement about bedaquiline is true?

• A. It requires daily intramuscular injections.
• B. It has no QT effects.
• C. It enables all-oral regimens and may shorten time to culture conversion.
• D. It is never used in MDR-TB.

Answer: (C)

Bedaquiline is an oral anti-TB drug used for multidrug-resistant TB and helps move treatment toward all-oral regimens while potentially shortening time to culture conversion. It works by inhibiting mycobacterial ATP synthase, disrupting energy production in the bacteria. Because it is taken by mouth, it eliminates the need for daily injections. However, it carries a risk of QT interval prolongation, so ECG monitoring is recommended and care is needed when combined with other QT-prolonging drugs. It is indeed used in MDR-TB, not excluded from it.

Bedaquiline is an oral anti-TB drug used for multidrug-resistant TB and helps move treatment toward all-oral regimens while potentially shortening time to culture conversion. It works by inhibiting mycobacterial ATP synthase, disrupting energy production in the bacteria. Because it is taken by mouth, it eliminates the need for daily injections. However, it carries a risk of QT interval prolongation, so ECG monitoring is recommended and care is needed when combined with other QT-prolonging drugs. It is indeed used in MDR-TB, not excluded from it.